Thanksgiving Week

Posted in Uncategorized by Flavor on November 19, 2018

A few years ago we’d talk about being thankful for those 3 beauties but I don’t hear much talk about those these days. Man, imagine being a Dodger fan and trying to remember that beauty from THIRTY freaking years ago. Most of the people that were there for that one are dead now or not born yet.

Still, as long ago as 2014 seems, I’ll never get tired of those flags flying true at good ol’ AT&T Park. Sometimes it feels like we paid quite a price for them though.

Have fun this week whatever you choose to do and wherever you choose to go. If all you’re doing is walkin’ the earth, be thankful for that, too…..

I wasn’t going to share this, but I would appreciate your prayers that my in-laws will allow us to take my daughter Michele back to California to visit my 84 year old mom for 6 weeks in December and January. They’ve (father in law and grandmother) reneged on the visit. Eating the airline tickets and hotel costs doesn’t matter at all . . . Just the fact, my mom will likely never spend any quality time with her grand daughter is what eats me. Sad about this situation.

Well, they do think I should be doing more. Without getting into details, they are considered wealthy in Vietnam and would be middle class here. However, that’s not the issue . . . Cultural differences and maintaining what SE Asians call “face” is important.

You had it right the 1st time – as I alluded to above, I purchased airline tickets for my mom and I, along with hotel reservations to pick up Michele in Saigon. My mom insisted on coming, indicating that I would need assistance with the baby on the plane (she’s right on that score). I only purchased the tickets/hotel after I was assured by Linh and her family that they would not change their mind and Michele would stay for 6 weeks. They have done so 3 times: 1. First reneging and than agreeing on the 6 weeks duration . . . saying I could only have her for 2 weeks (jet lag going both ways, particularly coming back would have made the trip a disaster); 2. All 3 (Linh’s mother, father, and grandmother) said no, with only the mother agreeing after I explained what this would mean to my mother; and, 3. I still only have the mother agreeing to the trip – I will not take my mom to Vietnam and take a chance of her and/or I being thrown in jail, should they contact the police or cause airport officials to stop us.

Yes. In Vietnam, if a foreigner is thrown in jail – even for what we would consider minor offenses – there is a distinct possibility that they would not allow the accused to have Embassy or Consular Office officials to visit them until 30 or more days after they’re arrested and thrown in jail. Paul can confirm this. No way will I risk that scenario, much, much less with my mom.

So sorry to hear that, Blade. the usual machinations around in-laws is hard enough without the huge cultural (and distance) differences. Positive vibes coming your way.
And thanks for your support last/early this year. It was mucho appreciado. Thankfully for part of it, my daughter is doing much better and has moved to Seattle with her sister (Allison has been there about a year).

De nada Chuck and thank you for the positive vides . . . I just got off the phone with my mom. She’s actually still wanting to go there, but I told her that I will not put us in a situation where I don’t have confidence it will have a positive outcome. I should know something NLT tomorrow.

There’s no real reason to deal now. Unless there’s some kind of outlandish deal on the table. We more than likely wait till the trade deadline. I don’t really think we’ll be in the running so he’ll go then to a team desperate for pitching. Then we may be able to get a couple studs.

Told you guys 3 years ago when Goff was coming out that I’d seen him enough live to know he had all the throws, and would be good in the NFL with the right opportunity. Getting rid of that turd coach Fisher after the first year was crucial; now he’s got a great offensive coach in McVay to get the most out of his talent. Wish he were a Niner…

Vlade is clueless. They are doing fine, winning some games gaining more fan support and beating teams lot worse off than Kings of today are, all good. Bagley has lot to learn to figure what he can do at this level and Giles hasn’t played above HS level. Skal sucks.
Let the guy coach the team, which isn’t that bad with Gs Cauley Stein and the Euro shooter Bogdanovich who had been injured off bench.

Elephant in room is passing over Doncic but it’s too late to do anything about it. Play with who you have.

I think this supports everything that Flavor said earlier regarding Paxton and Bumgarner, i.e., Bum has a lower value right now than Paxton. Consequently, I would have to agree with the author below (and what Unca said) about waiting until the trade deadline to assess his worth . . . and possible trade.

That or the other possibility presented by the author – “Let him play out the season and if Bumgarner performs and the team looks competitive, then a qualifying offer could be on the table.”

Blade I’m despondent about your personal situation. I wish I had a creative idea for you. Please keep us updated and we will hold good thoughts for an outcome that works for you. I feel like these people are holding your daughter hostage and if it were me I don’t know how I’d stay composed about it

I really appreciate that Craig. There’s a lot I am not even sharing here. If I thought about it too much, I would seriously be more upset. I try not to project or deal with “what ifs,” so I am just taking care of what’s in front of me at the moment.

Regarding the trip to Saigon – my road trip to California to catch that plane can’t be accomplished if I wait beyond Thursday (snow storms predicted at the Eisenhower tunnel). So, I have to make a decision soon.

See the report Z might not hire a GM? “There’s a very strong office in place, obviously, to do the immediate business at hand as far as the ml roster: FA signings trades. We have a pretty good infrastructure in place.” He’s talking about holdover asst. GMs J Shelley and Y Goldfarb…

Further, “We’re more focused on identifying the right person than the timing sensitivity.”

Wonder if this has more to do with Bochy and his staff, that he wouldn’t bring in a GM who didn’t have opportunity to put his own people in place.

I thought the Dubs would be indestructible (I always thought the KD leaves after the 2019 season) and then Draymond had to say the one one word that is so combustible not just in the sports world but especially in the African-American community… BITCH!!!

That is the gravest insult IMO among athletes and again in black culture. And KD at the end of the day. Even though Draymond is my favorite Warrior and probably will continue to be (unless they can figure out a way to sign boogie long term), KD should have thrown a punch the moment the uttered the b word. He apparently said it more than once.

Imagine how the rest of the league in the playoffs, or if they play the Thunder in season or playoffs, I could just see Westbrook taunting him and calling him a bitch in the game to try and provoke him.

The Warriors have a serious problem rebuilding the in-house culture…Draymond may have soiled it so badly that KD now I think is 50/50 he leaves at the end of this season…

I felt that way before this even came up. KD is being a weasel. He IS being a bitch. If he can’t commit to the best situation imaginable, then fine, go play for the Knicks and say goodbye to the finals. Does this help his cred in the league to bail on the Warriors? I don’t know but it seems like that is his reasoning.

KD seems to think he needs to follow the path of LeBron and see if he can take multiple teams to the finals. Is KD a great player? One of the best? Sure. Is he a leader? No. He’s passive and a bit soft. Draymond is MUCH more valuable to the Warriors than KD.

Draymond is a leader. Draymond is all about the team, the game, and the playoffs. Klay is all about the team. Steph is all about the team.

If KD goes, oh well. We won without him before. We can win without him again.

It is still non issue tho and they are both wrong. So what if one is annoying? He’s still your teammate for 48 minutes and at practice.
Figure out what is going on right now and worry about off season and contracts and who does what or goes where later. Still think it is good that reserves are getting more chance to play and handle ball (especially Cook who looks great) and when everyone is healthy, including Cousins, they are dominant.

As a Kings fan, I don’t have any big problems with the way the coach is handling things. Vlade needs to take a step back and chill out. Evaluate things at the end of the season. I think it’s important for this group of Kings players to learn how to win, to finish out games. It’s especially important for Fox’s growth as a point guard.

NBA announces Rod Strickland (cool player) and Allison Feaster will help manage G League Path to Pros development program.
Oh man A Feaster…played for Harvard team and scored 35 as 16 seed defeated host #1 seed Stanford, at Maples. Beside UMBC doing it earlier in last year Tourney, this was the only time 16 had beaten #1 seed and is only time in women’s game that lower than 13 seed has ever even won a game. I watched that one and she tore them up.
She played 10 years in WNBA and overseas.

Watching Xavier vs. SD St, good ballgame from Maui. Walton is there doing game wow. He knows b-ball but there is just so much off the wall stuff he spends all energy on it’s nonsense theater.

You guys may be jumping the anti-Zaidi gun, but hey, as is obvious to all, it is fricking hard to win the whole thing. The Cubbies have 2 WS wins in 112 years. Cleve is still on the schnied since 1948, and has 2 WS wins since 1920. Pads, zip. Nats, Brew Crew as well.

When we signed KD, I thought cool we are winning back the title they stole and maybe. a couple more. His first run with us, he won that huge game for us to put us up I think 3-1 with his rebound and pull-up 3 on Lebron.

But not for a second has he even been my top 3 favorite Warrior. So I am ready for his eventual departure. Figured we get two more titles. And really the thing last week was also mishandled by KD as well. If he walked over to the bench and put his arm around Draymond and say hey no worries we got this in OT and btw look up next time and I can probably get a shot of but no biggie, now lets go kick some ass in OT. That is what leaders do….

Just looked up Wall’s contract…he is owed $171 mill next four years…no one is trading for that contract. So they would need to move Beal for some expiring contracts. He is making $27 mill this year and then just $28 next. Easier contract for someone else to pick up…

Giants let Specs go and AZ signed him to minor league deal. Likeable guy just your classic good field no hit.

Kinda hope Z gets busy too. D Freese was good signee for LA (wonder if that was one of his last moves over there) and so was A Diaz for Stros. Both can play different positions on IF and bring some RH pop. Not every day guys but solid replacement/platoon bench players that good teams have like Boston and S Pearce.
Love to see Giants get more nice bench pieces like above, esp for IF.

“The Giants did not opt to protect starting prospect Juan de Paula, who was acquired with infielder Abiatal Avelino in the trade that sent Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees in August. The 21-year-old has a career 2.47 ERA through four minor league seasons but has never pitched above Low-A.”

Jonny Venters wins 2018 NL Comeback Player of the Year award. Amazing comeback this season. I’m also not certain that anyone has ever had a longer period of time between the last pitch he threw in the 2012 season and the beginning of the 2018 season???

Sheesh, I remember this dude when the Braves had the “two-headed monster” of him pitching setup and Craig Kimbrel as the closer.

By the by, dollars to donuts, the Sherpas make a play for CJ Cron (who was designated for assignment by the Rays. He’s about a 40% offensive improvement over Desmond (who the Rockies would love to move to the outfield). He’s also a better defensive replacement.

I wonder if the Giants will make a play for him? A right handed bat that clubbed 30 bombs would be nice, especially at his salary (due to make no more than $5 million in arbitration). Man, it would be great if they could get rid of Belt and plug him in at first.

Gonzaga’s two point victory over duke today was a helluva game. Bit sloppy at times but intense and tough, with many terrific moments. Highlights should haunt every other team who has to face either soon.

Nice win by the Kings over the Jazz, in Utah.
Very entertaining game. Great game by Fox. I had mixed feelings about him last year, but he’s continued to get better. He’s a legit NBA point guard now, being productive and making his teammates better. Cauley-Stein has improved. The two Euro guys are consistently productive. Bagley has potential.
If Vlade can’t enjoy this he’s nuts.

Right now the Warriors are that dude in the pristine 70’s suit and turtleneck combo while the Sacramento Kings, OKC Thunder, and the rest of the puny teams in the NBA are that falcon. And fans of falcons are corny and weak!

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Timmy is 34 now. And I want to say “only 34”. And he’s been pretty much done for awhile. I can’t really even imagine how that would feel, to be *done* before the age of 35. Because, you know, my career has just been one long upward trajectory with no end in sight…